After President Obama delivered his latest blueprint on climate change yesterday, utilities responded with their own two cents. The Edison Electric Institute (EEI), an association of shareholder-owned electric companies, issued a statement reflecting on the president's plans.
EEI President Tom Kuhn noted that, while electric utilities both understand�and support the importance of addressing climate change, electric companies want to ensure that carbon-cutting policies focused on existing power plants "contain achievable compliance limits and deadlines, minimize costs to customers, and are consistent with the industry's ongoing investments to transition to a cleaner generating fleet and enhanced electric grid."
To do this properly, Kuhn emphasized: "It is also critical that fuel diversity and support for clean energy technologies be maintained, not hindered." Even as the EEI stressed support, it noted that utilities have already made significant advancements. Carbon dioxide emissions currently clock in 15% below 2005 levels, it said, with sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions are down 75% since 1990.
Top 10 Clean Energy Stocks For 2014: Sonus Networks Inc.(SONS)
Sonus Networks, Inc. provides voice and multimedia infrastructure solutions. The company offers session border control (SBC), voice over Internet protocol (VoIP), and access and VoIP media gateway solutions that allow the delivery of voice and multimedia sessions over IP networks. Its products include GSX9000 Open Services Switch that enables voice traffic to be transported over packet networks; GSX4000 Open Services Switch; NBS9000 Network Border Switch that permits service providers to transform their time division multiplexing networks to IP; PSX Policy & Routing Server, which translates business policies into actual call control, routing, and service selection decisions; NBS5200 Network Border Switch that provides SBC functionality; and ASX Call Feature Server that provides local area calling and regulatory features for residential and enterprise markets. The company also offers Network Analytics Suite of performance management products, including NetScore network perf ormance analysis tool, NetAssure voice quality monitoring tool, and NetEng network audit and visualization engine that are used for the collection, monitoring, reporting, and notification of performance metrics. In addition, it provides professional consulting and services to support its IP communication solutions; and program management, network deployment design, softswitch and subscriber database design, network verification and audit, custom application and adaptor development, OSS and API integration, migration and upgrade, and managed services. The company serves long-distance and local exchange carriers, Internet service providers, wireless operators, cable operators, financial institutions, retailers, state and local governments, and multinational corporations. It sells its products primarily through a direct sales force in the United States, Europe, the Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East. Sonus Networks, Inc. was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Westford, Mass achusetts.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By Roberto Pedone]
One networking player that's starting to move within range of triggering a big breakout trade is Sonus Networks (SONS), which provides networked solutions for communications service providers and enterprises in the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. This stock has been red hot so far in 2013, with shares up 104%.
If you take a look at the chart for Sonus Networks, you'll notice that this stock has been trending sideways for the past month, with shares moving between $3.25 on the downside and $3.72 on the upside. Shares of SONS have been finding support over the last month each time the stock has pulled back to its 50-day moving average. This stock is now starting to trend a bit higher and move within range of triggering a breakout trade above the upper-end of its sideways consolidating chart pattern.
Traders should now look for long-biased trades in SONS if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance at $3.56 to $3.59 a share and then once it takes out its 52-week high at $3.72 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 2.50 million shares. If that breakout hits soon, then SONS will set up to enter new 52-week high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that breakout are $5 to $5.50 a share.
Traders can look to buy SONS off any weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below some key near-term support levels at $3.33 to $3.25 a share, or right below more support at $3.10 a share. One could also buy SONS off strength once it takes out those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.
Top 10 Clean Energy Stocks For 2014: Centrica(CNA.L)
Centrica plc operates as an integrated energy company primarily in the United Kingdom and North America. The company supplies energy and related services to residential and business customers under the British Gas brand in the United Kingdom. It also installs, repairs, and maintains central heating and gas appliances, plumbing and drains, home electrical, and kitchen appliances; and provides maintenance/breakdown service and insurance contracts. In addition, the company engages in the exploration, development, and production of gas and oil in the in the United Kingdom and Norwegian continental shelf; generation of electricity through the operation of eight gas fired power stations, onshore and offshore wind farms, and eight nuclear power stations; and trading and optimization of gas and power from various sources. Further, it owns and operates Rough, a gas storage facility in the United Kingdom. Additionally, the company supplies gas and power to residential, small busines s, commercial, and industrial customers in North America; and owns and operates gas fired power stations in Texas, and gas and oil assets in Alberta, as well as installation and maintenance of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment and water heaters. Centrica plc is headquartered in Windsor, the United Kingdom.
Hot China Stocks To Buy Right Now: Ocwen Financial Corporation(OCN)
Ocwen Financial Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides residential and commercial mortgage loan servicing, special servicing, and asset management services in the United States and internationally. The company provides loan servicing, including asset management and resolution services primarily to owners of subprime residential mortgages. It also invests in subprime residential loans held for resale; and is involved in subprime residual mortgage backed trading securities related to subprime loan origination operation and whole loan purchase and securitization activities, as well as engages in the management of residential assets. Ocwen Financial Corporation was founded in 1988 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By James K. Glassman]
Ocwen Financial (symbol: OCN) soared 142% in 2012, but it still has room to grow. Ocwen services mortgages, so it's partly a play on a resurgent housing market. In October, the company announced two deals -- one for the loan-servicing business of Residential Capital and the other for Homeward Residential, a mortgage servicer and originator. Analysts see Ocwen earning $4.50 per share in 2013, but I think profits will be much higher.
- [By Ed Carson]
Ocwen is one of several highflying mortgage loan servicing firms reaping huge growth as bigger lenders unload home loans, especially riskier debt.
Analysts expect Ocwen to report an 82% EPS gain for Q4, with triple-digit gain in every quarter of 2013.
Ocwen in October won ResCap's massive loan servicing unit, outbidding Nationstar Mortgage (NSM). Ocwen's shares shot up 34% that month, but then began consolidating. Some investors wondered if the easy pickings were over for the loan servicing upstarts. But Ocwen vaulted nearly 10% last week, back near its highs, after Nationstar snapped up a huge chunk of loans from BofA. It was a timely reminder that Bank of America has wanted to slash its risky mortgage portfolio.
Nationstar rose 14% for the week, even after shaving gains from Tuesday's all-time high.
- [By Andrew Feinberg]
52-Week High: $39.83
52-Week Low: $13.12
Annual Revenue: $765 million
Projected 2013 Earnings Growth: 212.5%
Ocwen Financial (symbol: OCN) soared 142% in 2012, but it still has room to grow. Ocwen services mortgages, so it's partly a play on a resurgent housing market. In October, the company announced two deals -- one for the loan-servicing business of Residential Capital and the other for Homeward Residential, a mortgage servicer and originator. Analysts see Ocwen earning $4.50 per share in 2013, but I think profits will be much higher.
Top 10 Clean Energy Stocks For 2014: Tamerlane Ventures Inc. (TAM.V)
Tamerlane Ventures Inc., a development stage company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of base metal projects in Canada and Peru. Its principal project is a 100% interest owned the Pine Point, a lead-zinc project covering an area of approximately 175 square kilometers located in the Northwest Territories on the south of Great Slave Lake, Canada. The company was incorporated in 2000 and is based in Blaine, Washington.
Top 10 Clean Energy Stocks For 2014: Marlin Business Services Corp.(MRLN)
Marlin Business Services Corp. provides commercial equipment financing solutions primarily to small and mid-sized businesses in the United States. It finances approximately 100 categories of commercial equipment, including copiers, security systems, computers and software, telecommunications equipment, and commercial and industrial equipment. The company offers its solutions through a network of independent commercial equipment dealers and lease brokers, as well as through direct solicitations. As of December 31, 2011, it serviced approximately 65,000 active equipment leases for approximately 55,000 small and mid-sized business customers. The company also operates as the holding company for the Marlin Business Bank, which is a state-chartered commercial bank. In addition, it is involved in reinsurance business activities. The company was founded in 1997 and is based in Mount Laurel, New Jersey.
Top 10 Clean Energy Stocks For 2014: WESCO International Inc. (WCC)
WESCO International, Inc. engages in the distribution of electrical, industrial, and communications maintenance, repair, and operating (MRO) products; and original equipment manufacturers products and construction materials. It also provides supply chain management and logistics services. The company offers general and industrial supplies, such as wiring devices, fuses, terminals, connectors, boxes, enclosures, fittings, lugs, terminations, tapes, splicing and marking equipment, tools and testers, safety and security, personal protection, abrasives, cutting tools, consumables, fasteners, janitorial, and other MRO supplies. It also provides wires, cables, raceway, and metallic and non-metallic conduits; and communications products, such as structured cabling systems, broadband products, low voltage specialty systems, specialty wire and cable products, equipment racks and cabinets, access controls, alarms, cameras, and paging and voice solutions. In addition, the company off ers power distribution equipment, such as circuit breakers, transformers, switchboards, panel boards, metering products, and busway products; lighting and controls, including lamps, fixtures, ballasts, and lighting control products; and motor control devices, drives, surge and power protection, relays, timers, pushbuttons, operator interfaces, switches, sensors, and interconnects. Further, it provides value added services in the areas of construction, e-business, energy, engineering services, green and sustainability, production support, safety and security, supply chain optimization, training, and working capital. The company serves industrial and commercial businesses, contractors, governmental agencies, institutions, telecommunications providers, and utilities. It operates in North America and internationally. WESCO International, Inc. was founded in 1922 and is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Top 10 Clean Energy Stocks For 2014: Stoneshield Capital Corp(STS.V)
StoneShield Capital Corp., a mineral exploration company, engages in the acquisition and exploration of precious metals properties in North and South America. It has an option to earn interests in the Tabisco gold and silver project located in Sonora State, Mexico; the Risby copper/silver/lead/zinc project located in the Northwest Territories, Canada; and the Geldenhoof gold property located in central British Columbia. The company was incorporated in 2007 and is based in Vancouver, Canada.
Top 10 Clean Energy Stocks For 2014: Quest Diagnostics Inc (DGX)
Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (Quest Diagnostics), incorporated in 1990, is a provider of diagnostic testing, information and services, providing insights that enable patients and physicians to make healthcare decisions. Quest Diagnostics offers United States patients and physicians the access to diagnostic testing services through its nationwide network of laboratories and Company-owned patient service centers. The Company provides interpretive consultation through the medical and scientific staff. The Company is a provider of clinical testing, including gene-based and esoteric testing and anatomic pathology services, and the provider of risk assessment services for the life insurance industry. The Company also is a provider of testing for clinical trials and testing for drugs of abuse. Its diagnostics products business manufactures and markets diagnostic test kits and specialized point-of-care testing. On April 4, 2011, the Company acquired Athena Diagnostics (Athena). On May 17, 2011, the Company acquired Celera Corporation (Celera). In January 2012, the Company acquired S.E.D. Medical Laboratories. In December 2012, the Company sold all of the assets of OralDNA Labs salivary-diagnostics business to Access Genetics. Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (Quest Diagnostics) is a provider of diagnostic testing, information and services, providing insights that enable patients and physicians to make healthcare decisions. Quest Diagnostics offers United States patients and physicians the access to diagnostic testing services through its nationwide network of laboratories and Company-owned patient service centers. The Company provides interpretive consultation through the medical and scientific staff. The Company is a provider of clinical testing and the provider of risk assessment services for the life insurance industry. The Company also is a provider of testing for clinical trials and testing for drugs of abuse. In January 2012, it acquired S.E.D. Medical Laboratories. In December 2012, it sold all of the ! assets of OralDNA Labs salivary-diagnostics business to Access Genetics. In January 2013, the Company acquired the Worcester -based clinical outreach laboratory business of UMass Memorial Medical Center.
Clinical Testing
The Company is a commercial clinical testing company. Physicians use clinical tests to assist in the detection, diagnosis, evaluation, monitoring and treatment of diseases and other medical conditions. Clinical testing is generally categorized as clinical laboratory testing and anatomic pathology services. The Company offers customers the access to the test menu of clinical laboratory and anatomic pathology tests in the United States. Clinical laboratory testing generally is performed on whole blood, serum, plasma and other body fluids, such as urine, and specimens such as microbiology samples.
The Company is a provider of routine clinical testing, including testing for drugs of abuse. The Company performs routine testing through its network of laboratories and rapid response laboratories. The Company also performs routine testing at hospital laboratories that the Company manages. The Company operates laboratories round the clock. The majority of test results are delivered electronically. Routine tests measure various bodily health parameters, such as the functions of the kidney, heart, liver, thyroid and other organs. Commonly ordered tests include blood chemistries, including cholesterol levels; complete blood cell counts; urinalysis; pregnancy and other prenatal tests, and routine microbiology testing.
The Company is a provider of anatomic pathology services in the United States, through its AmeriPath, Dermpath Diagnostics and Quest Diagnostics brands. Anatomic pathology involves the diagnosis of cancer and other diseases and medical conditions through examination of tissue and cell samples taken from patients. The Company provides inpatient anatomic pathology and medical director services at hospitals throughout the country, and through ! its labor! atories. The Company provides a range of services to all anatomic pathology subspecialties. The Company provides integrated, reports that include both anatomic pathology and clinical pathology tests, enabling its pathologists to offer patients and physicians a complete analysis. The Company introduced the Leumeta family of tests for leukemia and lymphoma.
The Company is a provider in the United States of gene-based and esoteric testing. Esoteric tests include procedures in the areas of molecular diagnostics, protein chemistry, cellular immunology and advanced microbiology. Commonly ordered esoteric tests include viral and bacterial detection tests, drug therapy monitoring tests, genetic tests, autoimmune panels and complex cancer evaluations. During the year ended December 31, 2011, it acquired Athena Diagnostics, a provider of neurology testing. Its esoteric laboratories provide reference testing services to physicians, academic medical centers, hospitals and other commercial laboratories. The Company also offers gene-based tests for the predisposition, diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of cancers. The Company develops tests at its laboratories, such as Quest Diagnostics Nichols Institute. It also develops techniques and services in anatomic pathology.
In 2011, the Company introduced its melanoma treatment selection mutation panel, which is designed to assist in the personalized selection of patient therapies. The Company introduced its thyroid cancer mutation panel, which assists in the diagnosis of thyroid cancer and aids physicians and surgeons as they plan surgery and other therapies to treat and attempt to cure thyroid cancer. During 2011, it enhanced its SureSwab Vaginosis/Vaginitis Plus test. The Company introduced Accutype IL28b, a test designed to aid in the prediction of patient response to peginterferon alpha-based therapy for treating hepatitis C virus infection. In 2011, it introduced testing for very long chain fatty acids, to assist in diagnosis and monitori! ng of inh! erited disorders of fatty acid metabolism. It also introduced high resolution chromosomal analysis testing with oligonucleotide microarrays to enhance its testing services in the pre-natal and post-natal genetics areas. During 2011, the Company released a test for therapeutic drug monitoring of dabigatran, an oral anti-coagulant. The Company also released genetic testing for SLC01B1, which helps identify patients at risk for myopathy from Simvastatin therapy for cholesterol reduction. Through Athena Diagnostics, it launched several molecular genetic tests for stroke, neuromuscular diseases and mitochondrial disorders.
Healthcare Information Technology
The Company provides interoperable technologies that help healthcare organizations and physicians enter, share and access clinical information without costly information technology (IT) implementation or workflow disruption, including through its Care360 suite of products and its ChartMaxx electronic document management system for hospitals. These solutions offer access to a national healthcare provider network, including approximately 200,000 networked physicians and clinicians using Quest Diagnostics��Care360 connectivity products. The Care360 products, including its Care360 Labs and Meds, enable physicians electronically to order diagnostic tests and review test results from Quest Diagnostics and electronically to prescribe medication. As of December 31, 2011, prescriptions were written through Care360 ePrescribing at an annualized rate of 32 million medications. Using its Care360 connectivity products, physicians can securely provide diagnostic and other data to a patient�� account. It offers Gazelle, a secure mobile health platform that allows users to receive their Quest Diagnostics laboratory results, manage their personal health information, find a Quest Diagnostics location and schedule appointments directly from their smartphone.
Clinical Trials Testing
The Company is a provider of central l! aboratory! testing performed in connection with clinical research trials on new drugs, vaccines and certain medical devices. It has clinical trials testing centers in the United States and the United Kingdom, and it provides clinical trials testing in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, the People�� Republic of China and Singapore through affiliated laboratories. The Company has biomarker capabilities. In 2011, it acquired Celera, enhancing its ability to provide biomarker discovery and develop IVD test kits.
Life Insurer Services
The Company is a provider of risk assessment services to the life insurance industry in North America. It also provides risk assessment services for insurance companies doing business in many countries outside the United States. Its risk assessment services comprise underwriting support services to the life insurance industry, including laboratory testing, electronic data collection, specimen collection and paramedical examinations, medical record retrieval, case management, motor vehicle reports, telephone inspections, prescription histories and credit checks. The laboratory tests that it performs and data it gathers are designed to assist insurance companies to objectively evaluate the mortality risks of policy applicants. The majority of the testing is performed on specimens of life insurance applicants, but also includes specimens of applicants for other types of insurance. Most of its specimen collections and paramedical examinations are performed by its network of approximately 5,000 contracted paramedical examiners at the applicant�� home or workplace. The Company also offers paramedical examinations through approximately 500 of its patient service centers, and operate approximately 80 locations other than patient service centers in the United States and Canada where the Company provides paramedical examinations, bringing to approximately 580 the total number of sites where it can provide these examinations. The Company also contracts with third parties at over! an addit! ional 200 locations globally to coordinate providing these exams.
Employer Services
The Company is a provider of testing to employers for the detection of employee use of drugs of abuse. Its Quest Diagnostics Drug Testing Index, which is an annual report of its aggregate drug testing results, is used by employers, the federal government and the media to help identify and quantify drug abuse among the nation�� workforce. It provides a range of solutions for drugs of abuse, including urine, hair, blood and oral fluid tests. In 2011, it introduced Oral-Eze, its own oral fluid collection system that simplifies the collection of oral samples for routine drug testing. The Oral-Eze Oral Fluid Collector provides all the advantages of previous collection systems, with the added benefit of its indicator window technology. The Company provides wellness testing and analytic services to employers.
Diagnostic Products
Diagnostic Products include point-of-care, or near-patient and testing. The Company develops and manufactures products that enable healthcare professionals to make healthcare diagnoses, including products for point-of-care, or near-patient, testing for the professional market. The Company has several companies, including Focus Diagnostics, HemoCue and Celera. Focus Diagnostics is a provider of infectious disease testing. Focus Diagnostics develops, manufactures and markets diagnostic products, such as HerpeSelect ELISA tests that detect patient antibodies to specific types of herpes simplex virus, which can be performed on a variety of instrument platforms. Focus Diagnostics sells its diagnostic products to academic medical centers, hospitals and commercial laboratories globally. Focus Diagnostics has an agreement with 3M Corporation for global human diagnostic rights to a compact integrated bench-top instrument for use with real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays. These tests are sold under the Simplexa brand name. In 2011, Focus Diagnostic! s receive! d the CE mark to offer Simplexa tests in Europe, including tests for Cytomegalovirus, Epstein Barr virus, BK virus and clostridium difficile. Focus Diagnostics offers molecular transplant-testing menus in Europe.
HemoCue manufactures and distributes point-of-care testing products globally. HemoCue is a global provider in point-of-care testing for hemoglobin, with a growing market share for glucose, microalbumin and white blood cell testing. HemoCue offers its White Blood Cell Differential System in Europe. Celera offers complexity molecular diagnostic products in segments, such as HIV-1 drug resistance testing, reproductive genetics, transplantation and cardiovascular genetics. It also manufactures and offers the InSure fecal immunochemical test (FIT) for screening for colorectal cancer.
The Company competes with Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings, Inc.
Top 10 Clean Energy Stocks For 2014: French Connection Grp(FCCN.L)
French Connection Group PLC engages in the retail and wholesale of fashion clothing for men and women in the United Kingdom, Europe, the United States, Canada, Hong Kong, China, Australia, India, Singapore, Vietnam, and South Africa. The company also provides brand licenses under which it's partners produce fragrances, jewelry, toiletries, shoes, and eyewear. Further, along with the French Connection brand, it operates Great Plains, a wholesale-only ladies' wear range; Toast, an e-commerce fashion and homeware brand; and YMC, a small men's and women's wear brand. The company operates approximately 1500 outlets. French Connection Group PLC was founded in 1969 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.
Top 10 Clean Energy Stocks For 2014: Misys(MSY.L)
Misys plc engages in the development, management, and licensing of software products and solutions to the financial services industry. It offers various banking solutions in the areas of cash management, Islamic banking, lending, payments and financial messaging, retail banking, trade services, universal banking, bankfusion, wealth management, wholesale banking, and risk management and compliance, as well as various online solutions to deliver banking services. The company also provides treasury and capital markets solutions for syndicated lending, commercial lending, Islamic treasury, structured products, OTC derivative trading, risk and compliance management, treasury systems, post trade processing, collateral management and margining, and central counterparty clearing, as well as cross-asset solutions and quick start solutions. In addition, it offers business intelligence solution that helps financial institutions to monitor their performance in the areas of financial a nalysis, profitability analysis, credit risk, operational risk, and regulatory reporting. Further, the company provides buy-side solutions, which offer cross-asset portfolio and risk management services covering investment management, risk management, middle/back office, and accounting. Additionally, it develops and supports open source software solutions for the healthcare, financial, and carbon markets. The company has operations primarily in the United Kingdom and rest of Europe, the Asia Pacific, the United States, the Middle East, and Africa. Misys plc was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.
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Ariana Lindquist/Bloomberg The latest battle over the minimum wage continues to heat up, with critics of the current wage, including me, noting that the average fast food worker in America doesn't currently make enough money to rise above the poverty line. While that's bad enough, it gets even worse when you consider that the average fast food worker already brings home $8.94 an hour -- $1.69 more than the minimum wage. To put it in context, the federal minimum wage has been trending downward since 1968, and -- adjusted for inflation -- is now lower than it was in 1956. That means that today's McDonald's employee is effectively making about a buck less an hour than a soda jerk brought home when Eisenhower was in the White House. And odds are, that worker probably isn't being offered full-time hours. But it's not all bad news: internationally, American workers fare up pretty well. Taken at face value, they're minimum wage comes in 12th in the world, ahead of Israel, South Korea, and some other industrialized countries. Granted, Australia pays its workers at least $16 per hour and Japan pays them $9.24, but -- in a global context at least, America is doing pretty well. The numbers get even narrower when one considers purchasing power parity, or PPP. Basically a measure of the goods and services that a sum of money will purchase, PPP considers how far a dollar will go. In Australia, for example, PPP shifts the minimum wage from $16 to a more measured $9.77. In a recent article, The Atlantic noted that, accounting for PPP, America's workers actually come in 10th place, behind Canada and New Zealand and ahead of Japan and Austria. Then again, the average American worker spends four times as much on health care as the average Austrian -- and roughly seven times as much as the average Japanese worker. This expense, which isn't factored into PPP, can be heavy -- and even at times devastating. Still, there's the bright side: we're number 10. Right behind New Zealand.